1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a multi-function peripheral (MFP), i.e., a multifunctional digital image forming apparatus; an image processing method for the image processing apparatus; and a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
An image processing apparatus as described above has a plurality of functions. It is allowed to store a job that is input by one of the functions on its storage device and is also allowed to read it out of the storage device and execute processing (output the job) by one of the functions. The CPU implements these functions with use of a memory.
The memory to be used for these functions has memory areas allocated to the respective functions; the image processing apparatus executes jobs with use of the memory areas.
The image processing apparatus has one or more standard functions to be available upon being started; one or more optional add-on functions can be installed on the image processing apparatus according to the needs of users.
Upon an optional function being installed, a part of the memory areas allocated to the standard functions is diverted to the optional function, causing a reduction in the size of the memory area allocated to the standard functions. This configuration has problems as described below.
That is, an optional function may be installed after job input but before job output. As described above, upon an optional function being installed, a part of the memory areas allocated to the standard functions is diverted to the optional function, causing a reduction in the size of the memory areas allocated to the standard functions. Some of the standard functions, which were available at the time of job input, can be unavailable and job output hardly can be executed, because of insufficient memory area.
Furthermore, the job is kept stored on the storage device without being output, causing a waste of the limited memory resources on the storage device.
Job output may be executed by an alternative function to an unavailable function; the alternative function, however, does not always work as intended by the user at the time of job input. For example, when the user gives an instruction for high resolution output, job output can be executed with a low resolution by an alternative function. This is not user-friendly.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-098723 suggests an image forming system in order to ensure the conditions for operators to tightly control data to be printed and in order to prevent job errors caused by lack of free memory during private printing. The image forming system is provided with a display controller that makes a display 315 of a personal computer to display a message requesting to give a restriction release instruction when a private print instruction accepting portion accepts a private print instruction, and a communicator that transmits an operation restriction instruction for implementing private printing to a multifunctional machine, along with the conditions to release restrictions.
The technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-098723, however, does not bring a perfect solution to the above-described problems which occur when memory areas are reallocated after job input but before job output.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.